World of Patterned History: Side Arcs
by ChaosEmperorDragon1999
Summary: A series of side arcs connected to the main series of World of Patterned History, found here, /s/10007716/1/World-of-Patterned-History, designed to explicate characters not explored in the main series. Warnings: OC, FemSasuke, Crossover with other series (Bleach, Death Note, and Higurashi being the main ones to mention), AU, eventual Harem.
1. Pillar of Hope Part I

**Chronological Timing: Between Valley of the End and the ending of Part I.  
Main Character: Kitai (spirit of a tree).**  
**Total length: 4 chapters.**

The street glimmered. Dust shot upward across the ground, a brilliant reflection of the streets.

Naruto ran into the street, throwing his hand up. "YEAH! I beat the enemy! Hidden Rain isn't anything to worry about!" He glanced from side to side. Clearing his throat, he straightened his uniform. _I probably ought to look a little cooler. The hero's obligated to appear nice, after all._

Hinata ducked behind a nearby street corner. She pressed her fingers together. "Naruto-_kun_."

"Hey, Hinata-_san_." Naruto grinned, pressing his hand against the door. "I haven't seen you in a while. What's going on with you? Sorry we couldn't bring you on the mission to Sound."

Hinata's face turned crimson. She toppled over, fainting.

Naruto shrugged after a moment, walking back to the apartment. _She must've fainted from the heat. I'll talk to her later. _Opening the door, he remained still for a while. Then he screamed violently as he stared at the thing inside the door.

The tower of sticks and natural items glistened inside the front door, holding up roughly to Naruto's height.

Tayuya, hearing the scream, raised an eyebrow. She turned and looked up the street. "Well, looks like Naruto-_san_ is back."

Haku appeared on the stairs. "Good morning, Naruto-_sama_." She bowed deeply. "May I arrange—"

"What the hell is this?!" Naruto shouted, his finger shaking.

"I have no idea. I thought I had cleaned out that pestilent thing. It's continued to appear every morning." Haku frowned, her expression somber. "How irritating. It seems I failed to eradicate it."

Naruto screamed louder. "Ghosts! GHOSTS!" He took a step backward, his body shaking. "I hate ghosts!"

Sasuke flicked Naruto across the head with two fingers. "Moron." She stepped forward, inspecting the shrine. "That, on the other hand, is definitely new. I haven't seen something like that since I was at home."

"It's an offering." Nōtō leaned forward. His fingers brushed along the surface. "Look at the fox hairs on top. Someone is trying to get your attention, Naruto-_kun_." He sighed. "As a _jinchūriki _these things occasionally happen. There's a certain set of people who worship the Tailed Beasts as gods."

Naruto frowned. His eyes narrowed. "Who'd do that?"

"I'm scared." Kōju tugged on Naruto's sleeve.

Naruto sighed. "We're all going to be fine." He rubbed his temples. "Probably."

The five people walked into the room.

**Kitai**

The garden lay ancient, fantastically old. The air blew over the carefully tilled soil, sweeping over the earth and running through the branches once more.

The brown-haired ninja knelt by a small pine tree, pouring water onto the deep roots of the potted tree.

A voice interrupted the ruminations of Nōtō. "Tsunade-_sama _sent for Team Seven urgently,"

Iruka looked up after a moment. "Of course." He set down the watering pot, glancing up at the _jōnin_.

The _jōnin _coughed, interested. "What is that tree?" he questioned, pointing at the tree.

Iruka smiled. "It's something I planted about…" He ran through the calculations mentally. "Thirteen and a half years ago now." He dusted off his hands, standing up.

The _jōnin _raised an eyebrow. "That's almost at the time of the Nine-Tails attack."

Iruka nodded beneficently. "That's so. In fact, I planted it only a few days afterwards." He ran his hand along the tree bark, wiping away the last remnants of soil.

The _jōnin _hesitated. He stared up at the tree, studying the branches with interest as he did so.

"Yes, there was a symbolic reason." Iruka paused as he looked up at the _jōnin_. "What would you say it is?"

The _jōnin _thought a moment. "Is it… Um… that the Hidden Leaf will always protect its own?" he managed after a long while. His face darkened after a moment or two had passed. _A strange way of putting it. _

Iruka shook his head. "Not bad, but not the right answer, either." He stepped away from the tree once more, landing on the ground. His eyes narrowed as he realized an important detail. "Hold on, though. Since you need Team Seven, why are you calling me?"

"A matter of personal danger." The _jōnin _looked at the tree with slightly more respect. "Mizuki-_san _has escaped."

Iruka's eyebrow rose. "Really?" he questioned with surprise as he regarded the _jōnin. _"I was under the impression that he was dead."

"Yes. Well, we discovered him a little later, attempting to do something under the guise of the exams. Under that incident, damage occurred." The _jōnin _shook his head. "I don't know about your safety—there was also a concern that he might attempt to strike back at the academy this time. I don't know exact details of how that will occur, but it is best to be on your guard. Mizuki-_san _will most probably act in a dangerous way when he arrives."

Iruka nodded. "Yes, that was always his way," he agreed with a sigh. He stood up. "Usually of course that would be the end of it, but Mizuki-_kun_ has no concept of proportion." He turned his feet northwards, walked about a hundred meters, reentered the school with a sorrowful smile on his face. His eyes flickered as he looked upward at the board. _I suppose it's unsurprising that he's alive, after all. He has skills in this kind of field. He can create illusions of vanishing.  
_

**Kitai**

Flames rose from the surface of the grill. The flames scorched along the surface of the scales. The forest glimmered, water dripping from the grass and beautiful white skies.

Tayuya frowned.

Sasuke tossed the fish up in the air. "So. _Genjutsu_?"

"Correct." Tayuya extended her hand. "At least, that's my fucking specialty. What do you do?"

"You have some knowledge from your briefing, right?" Sasuke questioned. She set down the fish against the tray.

Kōju blinked, studying the fish. A trail of drool started from the edge of her lips.

Sasuke glanced over her shoulder. "A little hungry, Kōju-_san_?" she questioned, her lip quirking upward.

Kōju shivered. "I was out training _really _late today," she declared, her lip trembling. "Can I eat first?"

Haku inclined her head. "However, just broiling fish is insufficient." She grasped the tray. Removing it from Sasuke's grasp, she hurried into the next room. "Rather, you must collect yourself. You must create a proper seasoning and coloration to the fish. There is a process. While you may eat first, seasoning the fish will take longer."

Naruto's body shook with anger. His hand trembled against the side of the chair.

"What is the matter, Naruto-_sama_?" Haku questioned.

"Why isn't anyone asking me about how the mission went?"

"You got sent by Tsunade to get some herbs from the lands of Hidden Rain, right?" Sasuke questioned, her eyebrow rising.

Naruto blinked.

"I assume you were successful; you came back in a good mood. Am I wrong?" Sasuke continued.

Naruto nodded. His expression grew sour.

"There you go. There's really nothing to discuss, is there?"

"That's not true! There were salamanders!"

"...Salamanders?" Kōju questioned, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Yeah! And they had really sharp fangs and teeth and everything!"

"Poisonous?" Sasuke questioned, flipping over one of the fish again.

"I didn't check." Naruto sighed. "But I had to stop by Tsunade afterward to get checked up, so maybe?"

Sasuke sighed. "Okay. On the off chance that they did actually have poison, I apologize; that is something worth asking about."

The moonlight poured down onto the grill, reflecting silver from the apartment's roof.

Kōju's hand crept toward the plate.

Haku slapped Kōju's hand. "Did I not already tell you? No eating before they're seasoned." She stated the words in a distant, calm voice.

Kōju winced.

The slight-figured girl regarded Naruto with apprehension. _What's up with you? _she wondered slowly. _I was just trying to be nice to you, Naruto-_kun_. Why did you stop caring for me? _Slowly, regretfully, she turned away, walking down the alley. She straightened her brown hair. Her brown eyes looked down beneath her. The long brown kimono trailed across the ground. _Well… I should go, anyway… I'm only a very plain tree, after all…_

The moonlight poured downward.

Naruto glanced over his shoulder. His eyebrows furrowed. "Hey," he called out, holding his hand outward toward the figure.

The tree faded into the foliage, vanishing once more.

"What are you doing, Naruto?" Sasuke questioned, her face stern.

"I just." Naruto looked after the figure, his expression distant. "For a second, I thought I saw someone I used to know." He turned his gaze back to the fish. "Sorry."

The plates lay against the table.

"Itakadimasu." Sasuke clapped her hands together.

The group dug into the fish.

Naruto's mind returned to the past. He dug into the fish, studying the fish steadily.

**A/N: This is the first chapter of Side Arcs, a promised series of arcs going over characters I can't cover in depth during the main story of World of Patterned History. Here's what differs from the main arcs:  
+Events may occur out of order.  
+The series will be updated relative to when I get inspiration, and not relative to a schedule like I will be putting on World of Patterned History itself (while it's active, at any rate).  
+The series will focus on side characters and events that happen off-screen.**  
**+While I will be updating irregularly, this may be considered a constantly active series, as opposed to a series updated when necessary.**


	2. Pillar of Hope Part II

**Chronological Timing: Between Valley of the End and the ending of Part I.  
Main Character: Kitai (spirit of a tree).**

The darkened office lit slowly. The disarrayed papers lay scattered across the desk, some piled high in the corners.

Tsunade rubbed her eyes as she looked at Nōtō, her expression sour. "Why'd it take you so long to get over here?" she demanded suspiciously. Bags hung under her eyes. She picked up a pen, scrawling a signature over the line beneath the surface.

Nōtō jerked a thumb at Naruto. Unemotionally, he leaned forward over the table, studying the paper lying there.

Naruto looked sorrowfully down. "There was a ghost," he muttered under his breath. He pressed his fingers together, not looking upward and meeting Tsunade's eyes.

Shizune trembled slightly. She clapped her hands together, muttering a brief sutra under her breath.

Kōju chuckled faintly, a reaction showing nothing of her true emotions under the surface of her calm expression.

Tayuya looked sideways at Naruto wearily. "Can you just listen to her for five Vizier-damned minutes?" she asked, her fingers steadily circling her temples as she leaned against the wall.

Naruto shivered, looking out the darkened window once more. His ears pricked, seeking the motions of the 'ghost' outside once more. He stayed silent, however.

Tsunade sighed. "And why did you wait on him so long?" she asked after a moment.

Nōtō smiled. His face blackened, an ominous dark cloud crossing his face before he sat down in the chair. He paused for dramatic effect before he resumed speaking. "Do you really prefer the alternative: Naruto-_kun _not understanding the nature of the task set before us?"

Tsunade considered the possibility only a moment. She shuddered visibly, her hand falling to the table. "Your point is taken." She unrolled the scroll on the table. "At any rate, your mission should prove a fairly self-evident one after I explain it."

Naruto picked up on the insult after a moment or two. Angered, he shook his fist. "Hey! Are you calling me stupid?!" he shouted at the desk, his fist slamming against the table.

Both Sasuke and Tayuya punched Naruto in the head. "Shut up, idiot," the pair stated together.

Kōju sighed. She patted Naruto on the back with one small hand, her expression conciliatory. "I'm sure you understand. It's never a good idea not to brief someone."

Naruto subsided, his eyes stubbornly annoyed as he regarded the Hokage once more.

Tsunade folded her hands. "Anyway. Moving along from that, the person known as Mizuki has reappeared in this world rather than the afterlife. We're not entirely sure how he's here, given that he was supposed to be dead by Iruka-_san_'s report. He's headed directly west with a few other former prisoners."

Nōtō's eyebrow furrowed. "What's the point in heading west?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow. "There aren't many opportunities for a missing-_nin _that way." He paused. "Even Akatsuki's bases must be located somewhat closer, to say nothing of Hidden Mist."

Tsunade shook her head. "We're not certain yet. One of our spies spotted him near the border. Initially we assumed he'd attempt to hide in one of the offshoots of Hidden Sound. We've determined clearly enough that that's the original beneficiary of Mizuki. More than anything, Orochimaru was close to Mizuki; he probably used Mizuki as a tool for spying." She paused, her finger pointing at the location of Hidden Sound, directly north of the Land of Fire. "But no, he's headed west, away from the Hidden Sound."

Nōtō studied Tsunade's face steadily, his eyes narrowing. "If you're hiding something from us, I should warn you that we may be in danger. If you know any more, please tell us, Tsunade-_sama_."

Tsunade shook her head. "I don't know any more." She looked downward at the map.

Nōtō regarded Tsunade coldly. "But you suspect something." His glasses glinted. His eyes pierced the deception in an instant, without hesitating or delaying in its calm, cold analysis.

Tsunade spread her arms after a moment. "All right, yes. I have a theory." She pointed down at the map on the desk, her finger tracing the route of progress from the Land of Fire.

Nōtō looked over Tsunade's shoulder.

Naruto jostled Kōju and Tayuya to get a good look at the map.

"As you can clearly see here." Tsunade pointed at the first village on the route along the map. "There are four villages Mizuki might reach with his company of _shinobi_. The first is Tanzaku Castle. That being said, they've essentially collapsed after, er, what was her name?" Tsunade frowned. She tilted her head to one side. "Oh, right, Fū won every _ryō_ they had taken from gamblers." A hint of envy entered her voice. Shaking her head, she went on. "In terms of power, they're out. Because of that I doubt he wants to head there; there's no point. As it's still within our territory we can still arrest him also, so that's probably out of the question. The second is Hidden Grass. While Hidden Grass is adept at the diplomatic arts, if it came to a battle between us, we'd win. The one resource Hidden Grass has is Mui and the remainder of the Duka Clan, and they wouldn't squander that resource on a battle over one person, particularly with someone who has skills only comparable to a _chūni__n _or _jōnin_ at maximum. That leaves Mizuki two options for his destination. Hidden Rock wouldn't work because Hidden Stone is paying close attention to that path. That leaves Mizuki one option."

Nōtō stared at the third village along the path with shock. His eyes widened.

"As you've doubtless just realized, there's the potential for him to visit Hidden Rain." Tsunade exhaled. "I doubt that he would. But the possibility exists."

Nōtō shivered. He stared down at the map once more, his eyebrow twitching again.

Tsunade nodded. "I don't think that's his plan," she hurried on in a quieter, softer voice. "I think he'll turn away. Last I checked Hidden Sound wasn't on good terms with the Hidden Rain."

"But there's a possibility." Nōtō turned around, his hands clenching into fists. "Let's not waste any more time. If he reaches to that point apprehending him would become impossible, if he has friends in that village." He rolled up the map and gestured to his team. "Hurry up." He bowed quickly, his posture hasty, not the usual, fluid form he demonstrated in all facets of his life.

Tayuya groaned. She raised a hand. "Hold on, I need to change out." She pointed meaningfully at the bright red outfit she wore. "This isn't exactly suited to _shinobi _work, you know."

"Didn't Orochimaru teach you to be ready for every mission?" Tsunade asked bitingly. "However lacking his morals may have been, I'm quite sure he understood the value of a tool. At the least, I would expect that you yourself were trained for purposes of utility in clothes."

"He also didn't offer multicolored scanty training outfits. That's an amenity and luxury I've only been afforded here, Tsunade-_obā_—" Tayuya began hotly.

Kōju clapped a hand over Tayuya's mouth. She glanced nervously at Sasuke, her face a pasty white with fear.

Sasuke swallowed faintly. Her temple throbbed slightly. She glanced toward Naruto, her hand shaking.

Naruto's eyes widened and grew rounder. He glanced sideways. "Idiot! There are some things you can't say in front of this _obā_-_san_!" he whispered.

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched threateningly. "What did you say?" she demanded, glaring at Naruto.

Naruto, sweating, glanced at the clock. "Er, since that ghost**1** is roaming around, we better get that mission done fast. That's what I said. Yes, no time to lose!" he declared brightly. Collecting his pouch of _kunai_, he dashed out the door, sheets of sweat running down his forehead.

Tayuya growled. "Much as I hate to admit it, the dumbass is correct." She slouched out of the room. Seemingly, she had managed to remain oblivious to the feelings of anger emanating from Tsunade.

Kōju waved, also sweating, and sprinted out the door. She did not even bother to attempt an apology.

Sasuke saluted momentarily. "Sorry, Hokage_," _she stated. Her eyes glanced toward Shizune before she turned. "For what it's worth." She hesitated. "Never mind." She vanished rapidly.

Shizune tentatively cleared her throat. She glanced toward Tsunade, her expression hesitant.

Tsunade sat at the desk, her forehead burning red with rage. Her hand clenched around the edge of the desk, the wood breaking off. "Those youngsters sure are getting uppity, aren't they? Talking about youth. They sound like Gai." A fiery grin crossed her face. Her body darkened as she stared out the door. "Maybe I oughta get involved in training again, show them what a real _shinobi _can do."

Shizune gulped. "If you do it like that, someone's probably going to die, you know."

"There something wrong with that? Maybe they should be taught a lesson. They say idiots won't learn unless they die, you know." Tsunade grinned more broadly. "Yes, this is sounding like a better and better idea the more I think about it."

Shizune swallowed. "I'll just go tend to some of the paperwork, then."

Tsunade smiled. "Thank you." Her hand tightened on the edge of the desk. More of the wood splintered.

Shizune hurried out of the room.

**A/N:**

**1 Linguistic pun referring to 'obake', one Japanese word for ghost. **

**I'm back! Sort of. Technically I haven't stopped working on this, but it's been a while since I've felt confident in updating. Despite that, I had to release now. This chapter is released in honor of the 700th and somewhat final chapter of Naruto—though there's a sequel, Kishimoto may or may not be as thoroughly involved. However you felt about the ending of the series, it marks a milestone in many respects. It may not be what people expected, but that's what fanfiction is for. The worlds that didn't happen can happen in fanfiction. Canon has only one ending, and as the reaction demonstrates, there's still a lot more available. Because of that, I didn't feel upset about the ending because plenty of others are available. The ending itself invokes a lot of strange feelings in me. This is something I read for a long time, and now it's finally over. That's a weird feeling, and it inspired me somewhat. As such, there was no better time in my view to publish a new chapter of 'Side Arcs'. New updates on the main story will continue in January. Side Arcs will continue intermittently regardless. This particular chapter took a while; I felt that getting the characters right at this point in their career was important, and I was still stuck in future mode. As such, the characterization may be a bit off, and I apologize for that.**


	3. Pillar of Hope Part III

**Chronological Timing: Between Valley of the End and the ending of Part I.  
Main Character: Kitai (spirit of a tree).**

The moonlight shone across the dun-brown city. Copper light reflected from the carven mountains, shining and reflecting from the windows of the city.

Sasuke reopened her eyes rapidly. _Sanzengan_! She stared through the buildings, tracking various outlines of _chakra_.

Kōju hopped atop one of the buildings, studying the streets below with a careful eye for detail.

Nōtō studied the streets. His glasses shimmered in the light. He pressed his hand to the ground. A collection of bears appeared in a puff of smoke, spreading out and combing the streets.

"I don't get why we're combing the streets," Naruto complained, rubbing the back of his head. Multiple Shadow Clones charged through the city.

Tayuya rolled her eyes. "Hey, it's not like we're going to find him by standing still, dumbass." She pressed her hand against the ground. A puff of smoke preceded the appearance of three giants, white, serpentine smoke emerging from their mouths. The giants lumbered through the streets steadily, shaking the glass.

Naruto glanced momentarily at Tayuya.

Tayuya shrugged. "That grandma didn't put any restrictions on my usage of techniques, so I'm good."

"Well, no, we won't find him by standing around. But I don't see any reason why we're going to find him in Hidden Leaf. He'd be smart enough to avoid a major city like this, right?"

Tayuya blinked. "You've been getting smarter, dumbass." She punched Naruto on the shoulder. A grin crossed her face. "Guess hanging around me is finally getting you some kind of brain. Yeah, I agree with you."

Naruto growled. The image of fox's whiskers darkened on his face.

"If we're talkin' Mizuki, he's a pretty cagey guy. No way in hell'd he'd make some big mistake like that. Unfortunately, that kind of logic doesn't apply here. Sure, Mizuki would do better to stay well away from here, especially since the Hokage'd beat his ass hard." Tayuya paused. "But that kind of logic we had to throw away the second one of our scouts spotted him near Hidden Leaf."

Naruto's eyebrows furrowed. He tilted his head to one side, listening carefully to Tayuya.

"See, the thing is, it'd benefit Mizuki to avoid Hidden Leaf at all costs. We hadn't put out any kind of warning for him, right? So the only ones who'd be in pursuit of him would be us. Maybe Orochimaru, but Orochimaru ain't exactly the type of guy to kill someone if they've got further use to him. And if Mizuki avoided us or Hidden Sound seeing him, he'd only have to deal with fuckers with Bingo Books. But that isn't right." Tayuya shook her head from side to side. "The thing is that he knew all that. And yet still, for some dumbass reason, he decided to go by us. Well, even counting that in, his actions still make sense to a point. If he was spotted, the odds against somebody picking up on him are pretty limited."

"But…?" Naruto paused.

"Why didn't he decide to go around, or through uninhabited territory?" Tayuya's eyes narrowed. "Up to the point where he went near a longstanding patrol, his actions make sense. It's at that point that things start getting fucked up and broken. What kind of idiotic bastard goes through territory that he knows somebody is patrolling? There are two kinds of dumbasses who'd do that: somebody like you, and somebody like Suigetsu."

"Who?" Naruto's head tilted to one side. "Suigetsu?" His eyes narrowed. "Is he some kind of crazy fighter or whatever?"

"You haven't met him. Crazy bastard who likes cuttin' people up. That kind of personality." Tayuya paused. "What I'm getting at is, if he was confrontational or so much of a dumbass as to think, 'Things will go well by luck', or whatever, we'd have had troubles with him before this. He would have been detected pretty soon after you 'killed' him." Her eyes narrowed. "But that didn't happen, and I knew Mizuki a little. Hard not to when the egotistical bastard is shouting, 'I'm the best around' every time he walks into camp. So bearing that in mind, what possible reason could he have to take a route like that? Let us know he was coming? No advantage to somebody on his own, and Orochimaru isn't known for being all fucking happy-go-lucky with people who fail him." She placed her finger against the side of her head. "My guess is, he's coming back to steal something from the village. Maybe the thing he was first after, maybe not. Hard to tell without having any info on what that thing is."

"…Sorry." Naruto looked downward. "I can't trust you yet." He looked away. "But with a secret that important, it's really not something I can give up so easily."

Tayuya's eyes narrowed. She glanced downward. "Ah, gee, you really hurt my feelings." She rolled her eyes. "You really expect me to say something like that? Fuck you. It's one thing not to trust me personally. That I get. But in terms of the mission, I'm gonna need a bit more info before I can say what he's aiming at here."

Naruto sighed. "The truth about that is, I don't actually know either."

"What the fuck? How important is that damn scroll, anyhow?"

"The old man Sarutobi put down some kind of big ward on it that turns the forest into flames. It's pretty devastating."

Tayuya's brow dripped with sweat. "Holy fuck. I remember now. That was because of the scroll?"

Naruto's eyebrow twitched. "Didn't you hear Sarutobi talking about it?"

"Well, not really. I was, uh, busy at the time?" Tayuya avoided Naruto's gaze.

_I can't decide whether this person is a genius or an idiot. _Naruto rubbed his temples.

"That being said, if it really is that important to this village, I can't see him being dumb enough to go after it. He'd be hunted to the ends of the earth and beyond just to capture the scroll back. Sure, maybe Sarutobi's dead, but Mizuki's not even near the weight class of a Kage. Even if he doesn't have to worry about Sarutobi, there's still the problem of Tsunade. What the hell is he thinking?" Tayuya muttered. She rubbed her chin.

**Kitai**

The bazaar glimmered in silence. Faint torch light flickered across the ground, casting shadows on the earth and providing a small amount of heat in the cold of the night.

The cloaked figure shuffled forward. His hand touched the weapon at his side. He studied the paths, then stepped forward again.

A hand grasped the back of the hood, pulling down the hood to reveal white hair tumbling around the body.

Mizuki whirled, his eyes narrowing. "Brat."

"Sorry, old-timer! Guess I got the wrong guy." Rubbing the back of his head, Naruto turned away.

Mizuki lunged forward, his hand swinging around a massive shuriken.

"We got him! Mizuki's—" Naruto shouted. The shuriken drove into Naruto's back. Groaning, he collapsed before dissipating into smoke.

_Damn._ Mizuki glanced from side to side. _There's no choice now. I have to make a run for it. _He ran forward rapidly, dodging from side to side as he glanced upward momentarily. _Keep moving. They still don't know my destination. If I'm quick I can beat them there! _He came to a halt, glancing around the white buildings and bright lights. _This place shouldn't be lit up like this. What's going on here_? He stared in shock at the lit terrain.

"It's been a long time since I've set foot in these grounds." Sasuke stepped forward. Her hand grasped the _kusari-gama_ at her side, drawing it into an offensive posture. "The last time, if recollection serves…" She hesitated. "The last time, the blood of my family stained the ground. What are you doing here, Mizuki?" she questioned in a calm, distant voice. "Surely you must have some reason for intruding on their graveyard." Her hand tightened on the sword.

Mizuki inhaled briefly. "I refuse to explain myself to someone who would associate themselves with that demon brat," he stated flatly.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Her hands clapped together.

Mizuki's eyes widened.

"On second thought, it shouldn't be necessary for me to worry too much about your reasons for doing this." Sasuke's eyes widened, the red _tomoe _swirling rapidly. "I can simply kill you here, and find the answers later."

Mizuki took a step backward, his eyes wide.

The edge of the _kusari-gama _cut through Mizuki's throat. Blood pooled on the ground. Mizuki's hand extended, fingers covered in sticky blood. _Hah. _His eyes narrowed. _It's a fake! _"KAI!" Mizuki shouted, his hands clapping together rapidly.

The edge of the _kusari-gama _slashed toward Mizuki's neck.

Mizuki's hands clapped together. "Flash Technique!" Flames consumed Mizuki's body. Mizuki stood motionless at the edge of the clearing of buildings.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. _Huh. _She reached downward. Her hand touched the scroll at her side.

"A _Sanzengan genjutsu_. You really have advanced quickly for your young age." Mizuki's eyes narrowed. "Your brother must be very proud."

"That man severed his ties of kinship a long time ago." Sasuke unrolled the scroll. Biting her thumb, she slammed her hand into the page.

A series of black iron caltrops appeared on the scroll.

Carefully picking the caltrops up, Sasuke hurled them onto the ground. _With this, he probably won't be able to close the distance between us._ She clapped her hands together. _And with that—_ "Fire Style: Flaming Flower Technique!"

A burst of flames consumed Mizuki's body rapidly.

Sasuke exhaled. She rubbed the back of her head. "How irritating." She studied the body steadily. "Well, like this, we probably won't get any information about what it is that he planned on doing, but it's fine as is—" Her eyes widened in shock.

The body glimmered brightly, motes of light momentarily surrounding it.

"Damn it. A Substitution Technique? He would have had to use it very soon after we started fighting." Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Damn it." Her fist clenched. "Even though I might have gotten closer to my brother with that, I let it slip away."

_That is what you would call a difference in battle experience. _Mizuki smirked, standing behind a building several hundred feet away. _Certainly, you are a genius. Indeed, attempting to compare to you in everything—power, strength, wisdom—I fall flat. I'm not granted the same type of kindness as geniuses. I know that. _His eyes narrowed. _But because I'm not a genius I've honed that quality of battle experience to its greatest extent. I've fought a great deal of battles. Even when I've been in grave danger, that amount of battle experience lets me survive. I may not win, but I can survive. _He exhaled. His expression grew cold. _But is this truly the life I was destined for? Hiding among scraps. Running from battles. What kind of coward am I, that I cannot win on my own merits? I want to grow stronger. I want to win! I want to be someone to be feared. _He exhaled. _But in this world of monsters, I'm nothing! I can't even challenge a_ clenched his fists. The nails dug in, drawing blood. _All I have is myself and my allies. _He exhaled. _That's all I can count on, right now. That is my own pride, and my own strength, in this world. I can rely on that._ He hurried into the darkness_, _descending into tunnels below Hidden Leaf. His hand lowered, unclenching as he studied the earthen walls.

**A/N: Not much to discuss in this chapter. I expect to be doing more work on this soonish, and the main story will be returning soon as well. With that said, I'll leave it here.**


	4. Pillar of Hope Part IV

**Chronological Timing: Between Valley of the End and the ending of Part I.  
Main Character: Kitai (spirit of a tree).**

The sound of piping echoed through the darkness of the space. Vibrations echoed along the street, like the sonar of a bat given a symphonic form. The darkness of the street brightened for a brief moment as the pale moon shone down on the streets overhead.

Mizuki gritted his teeth. He rushed forward, ducking downward into an alcove of the Uchiha base.

The piping continued, but in fainter, more tentative notes.

Mizuki let out a long, heavy breath. _It seems to have worked. Regardless of what you can do with that brilliance of yours, it has its limitations. In particular, you need to take your time analyzing your opponents. It's not possible for you simply to guess what I'm going to do. On its own that's not a bad trait, but it leaves you vulnerable to your opponents' unpredictability.  
_

The lid of the tunnel grating pulled upward.

Mizuki hopped downward. His nose wrinkled at the rancid smell of the old place. He glanced momentarily toward his partners, somewhat obscured by the mist and shadow of the tunnel. Reaching into his pack, he drew out a technique scroll.

"How'd you confuse him?" a tall, blond-haired girl questioned. She tapped the side of her head, her brown eyes narrowing.

"Shadow Clone, both times. Just in case things went badly, I wanted to make sure that I'd have a fallback plan. This idea of mine seems to have worked." Mizuki's eyes narrowed. He leaned downward. "It seems I've won for now." He pressed his fingers to the edge of the scroll.

"Are we targeting that scroll?" a broad-shouldered ninja questioned, squatting slightly as he attempted to fit in the tunnel passageway.

"At the moment, all indications suggest that losing like this would be within the realm of possibility. That scroll, it's a long-term method. Assuming we didn't get killed by the Hokage, we'd still have the risk of ransoming it. No, that's not the trick I'm aiming for. I'm aiming for the short-term method. A sword that will help us curry favor with Orochimaru-_sama_ again."

The tunnels shifted with the pressure of a shift in the earth.

Worriedly, one of the ninja accompanying Mizuki glanced upwards. His rough black hair glimmered in the half-light of the tunnel. "Are you sure this is safe?"

"The Uchiha built these tunnels to last, Kenrai-_san_," the broad ninja replied, a trifle irritated by the sudden darkening of his brow. "If they'd done something that wouldn't last, they'd never have had a chance at taking over the village.

"I understand that. Mizuki-_sempai _wouldn't lead us to our death. But." The black-haired ninja, his blue-grey eyes shimmering with the green light ahead.

The other ninja, a blonde girl in her late teens, snorted. "Come on, Kenrai-_san_. 'Power unlimited'. That's what the Scroll of Dark Seals told Mizuki-_sempai._" She stole deeper into the crypts progressively.

Mizuki nodded, crawling faster ahead. "The prize of the Village Hidden in Leaves' first settlement, left here by the Uchiha." He unfolded a small, beaten-up map from his pouch. "The Seireiken, an heirloom of their heritage." He pointed left at the intersection approaching. "Their compound has been deserted for some time yet. No one will notice if we sneak in from below. A frontal assault seems to have been too obvious. Accounting for that, we can probably reach it in a subtler way."

"And once that sword is yours?" the broader ninja interrupted.

Mizuki turned around, his eyes hardening to steely complexion. "Orochimaru-_sama_'s," he corrected in a cool voice. He let the idea sink in, and then continued on through the tunnels. "Once it is his he can use it to avenge the wrongs done to us by the Hidden Leaf, and destroy the Hokage once more. They probably don't have another person of Kage quality." He hesitated. "No, strictly speaking, Kakashi or Gai could take over, but Kakashi lacks the power and Gai the intellect to properly manage a nation as large as Hidden Leaf. Even as a joint pair it would be insufficient."

The three ninja followed Mizuki through the tunnels, moving on hands and knees.

After a time the group came to a grate. Mizuki flipped up the grate and climbed out into the room above.

A dull, cold room met the group's eyes. The last of the incense had long ago burned away. A smell of decay or neglect filled the room. Red stains covered the wood slats of the former authority carried there. A single rat scurried out of the room as the figures emerged into it.

"Here," Mizuki stated, turning in a semicircle, "is the place where the slaughter of the Uchiha clan was completed, save for one." Like some sort of bizarre tour guide, he pointed at the doorway.

The _kunoichi _oohed as she regarded the room.

Kenrai cleared his throat delicately as he regarded Mizuki. "Er, Mizuki-_sempai_, as much as I enjoy your history lessons, shouldn't we attempt to recover that sword?"

The broad-shouldered ninja stood in the doorway. Folding his arms, he stared into the darkness, preparing for battle.

Mizuki nodded after a moment. He walked over to the northerly wall and pressed a series of stones rapidly.

Kenrai blinked as the wall shook, dust and grit shifting.

Then, slowly, the wall opened. A further small opening appeared, a mere bending in the wall seemingly. Within the bend, a long black katana rested, seemingly better maintained than the rest of it.

Mizuki stepped forward into the small alcove, his hand touching the hilt of a long katana. A greenish light swirled around the hilt of the blade. "Seireiken, forged by the grand elder Madara to be passed to his heirs," he whispered, his voice awed. "Long memories speak of your great powers, your cutting strength. An ordinary blade would shatter at your merest touch." He wrapped his hands around the hilt, a faint glitter of emerald energy sparkling from the sheath. "Ah, miracle born." He withdrew the sword from its sheath.

Kenrai watched in shock. "Isn't that dangerous? I mean, forging something like that. Wouldn't the Uchiha heirs know?" he asked after a moment, extending his hand toward the sword. A column of emerald energy zapped from the blade, snapping into Kenrai's hand. Kenrai snatched his hand back. Muttering something under his breath, he sucked on the wound.

"Oh, hush up, you big baby," the _kunoichi _remarked unsympathetically.

The broad-shouldered ninja nodded stolidly.

Kenrai glanced at the pair with a wounded expression. He slowly began wrapping his hand in bandages.

"Ordinarily yes. In this case there were, hm. Extenuating circumstances. Madara had requested assistance from Hidden Mist. Because of that, he couldn't let most of his clan know the origin of the sword. It was set down in a certain book that Itachi appropriated when he fled, and Orochimaru-_sama _obtained in secret. From them it came to me." Mizuki knelt, his eyes distant as he touched the sword. "How peculiar. The sword emits no _chakra_." He frowned. "No, that's not right. There's some power here, but it's, how should I say it? Ethereal. Never present fully, something outside the material world." He focused his energy on the blade. "Perhaps I can alter it to respond to _chakra_."

"Mizuki-_sempai_," Kenrai pleaded, his voice serious, "the longer we stay here, the more likely we'll be found."

Mizuki nodded after a moment. He sheathed the sword, his eyes narrowing. "We'll come back the same way we came in." He hopped down into the tunnels. On hands and knees, the group continued for some time A muffled curse interrupted the calm of the two following him. Slowly the sounds of scuffling stopped. Mizuki turned away, his expression sour.

"What is it?" the blonde _kunoichi _called out.

"Damned tree roots!" Mizuki called up, climbing back up to the surface. "They've blocked the tunnels. We'll need to go elsewhere." He leapt through the gate of the Uchiha household, running along the roofs of the Hidden Leaf steadily and quickly.

The blonde _kunoichi _and Kenrai followed Mizuki outwards into the woodlands.

Sasuke ducked behind one of the buildings. Her hand touched her ear lightly. "Got 'em. They're headed south from here. Should I pursue?"

"Negative." Tayuya's expression grew serious. "We should call it in. Mizuki himself isn't a problem, but the shitters around him might be, particularly if they're good at teamwork. Get the Hokage on the line, and leave it up to her."

The door opened. A host of clones in bright orange training suits rushed forward.

"Naruto?" Sasuke questioned, her eyebrow rising.

"Vizier fucking damn it," Tayuya swore loudly. "He probably doesn't get the fucking idea of tactics, but shadow clones aren't exactly going to even up our odds!" She threw down the binoculars. "Fine. We're handling this mano-a-mano. Come with me!"

Sasuke ran forward. She gestured to Kōju, far behind her. "Come on!"

Huffing and puffing, Kōju followed behind, her face bright red with exertion. "I've already been running around all day! Wait up!" she complained loudly.

**Kitai**

The fire crackled brightly. The woodlands creaked with the faint and distant sounds of nightly predators and their movements in the darkness.

Kenrai tossed another log on the fire, turning the chicken regularly every five minutes. He stared moodily into the flames.

"Come on, Kenrai-_san_. We all know you've been a crybaby for a pretty long time." The _kunoichi _leaned forward, placing a hand on Kenrai's shoulder.

"It's not that." Kenrai swallowed thickly. He glanced over at the black-sheathed blade. "It's just, just. I don't like that sword."

"You don't like that sword?!" The _kunoichi _laughed loudly.

"It's not funny, Hiya-_san_!" Kenrai shouted sharply.

Surprised by Kenrai's outburst, Hiya fell silent.

"To me that sword reeks of nothing but death. I wish we'd never found it. Failing that, I wish we threw it into the bottom of some sea." Quietly, Kenrai turned over the chicken on the spit.

The broad-shouldered ninja watched silently before turning his gaze to the forest outside the campfire again.

Mizuki unsheathed the blade again, grasping the hilt firmly as he stared into the flames.

_Take it._

Mizuki started, staring at the sword with shock.

_The sword belongs to you. I belong to you._ A feminine voice, faintly cruel and decidedly dangerous. _You have earned me fairly, through deception and treachery. I shall follow your lead._

Mizuki turned his head around slowly, his eyes wide. _Who?_

_Think of the possibilities, Mizuki-_sama_._ A moment of silence. _You might become more powerful than Orochimaru-_san_ with this gift. A sword constructed from your very soul.  
_

Momentary silence. Finally, Mizuki nodded, his eyes glittering with the invitation of avarice. He stopped a moment, his eyes wide. _But how do I unlock your powers? They are not _chakra_-based. At the least, not entirely.  
_

_Channel _chakra_ into me._ The sword glistened. _I will do the rest. It is possible for me to adjust my spirit to match yours. That's how most of our abilities work, through life-force. Though I suspect that you may have adjustment difficulties._ The green light flickered across the sword's breadth and width once more.

Mizuki did as instructed. A feral grin crossed his face as he looked back at the three _shinobi _behind him.

Kenrai turned the chicken around again, his unsuspecting eyes examining the chicken for its proper cooking.

The blonde _kunoichi _knelt on the ground, watching Mizuki warily. Her fingers stirred the fire once more.

Flames rose from the circle of stones, consuming the air.

The broad-shouldered ninja hunkered down, studying the darkness beyond the fire warily.

Mizuki fingered the blade, his eyes narrowing. The edge of the blade indented the skin, but did not pierce the skin in the slightest. Mizuki lifted the blade in his hand, a smirk crossing his features once more.

**A/N: Sorry about how long this took to post. I had a lot to deliberate over on the course of this arc, but I think I have everything sorted out now. You'll probably be seeing several updates on this arc soon!  
And I haven't forgotten about the main work, either, but as it turns out this particular arc needs to finish before I can start this one. Luckily, it's not too long. As usual, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy the work!  
**


	5. Pillar of Hope Part V

**Chronological Timing: Between Valley of the End and the ending of Part I.  
Main Character: Kitai (spirit of a tree).**

Ominous and dark, the foreboding trees covered the path. Their shadows concealed a lurking threat as they loomed over the shadowy path. Brooding, the trees concealed the secrets of some dark ritual performed within.

A shambling figure approached the group.

Naruto gritted his teeth. He hurried forward, his body cloaked in the veil of the long furrow of earth leading into the forest on the west side of Hidden Leaf.

The moon rose higher in the night. Illuminating the ridge, the light displayed the remaining members of Team Seven as well as a worse secret. In the deep forest, various figures rose up from the darkness, remaining totally silent as they studied the ridge with dead green eyes.

Kōju gripped her blade tightly. Her brow dripped with sweat. "Zombies," she muttered in a soft tone. "I've read a lot of scary manga, but the ones with the zombies have to be the scariest." Her face blanched. "Except that one with the spirals," she added in a hushed, horror-stricken tone.

"What the hell?" Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed. "I remember Orochimaru being the only enemy who looked this weird." She glanced toward Tayuya. "Hidden Sound woman. You have any idea what's going on, or are you as confused as the rest of us?"

"I got a name. You'd be well-advised to use it if you don't want to find your clothes missin' one morning before training." Tayuya's brow creased. "As to that." She stared at the forest. The moon had passed behind a cloud, blocking out the image of the silent figures between the trees. "Yeah, I'm just about as fucking freaked out as the rest of you at this point. Seriously, what the hell? I sent Nōtō a message telling him that we'd found Mizuki and were moving to engage, but I didn't include anything saying, 'Hey, by the way, there may be a few goddamn Edo Tensei to seal'." She sighed heavily. "Havin' said that, it's a bit weird for so many Edo Tensei to be moving around."

The figure approached Naruto steadily.

"Why do you say that?" Sasuke questioned, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Edo Tensei ain't that easy a technique to use. Look. When Orochimaru used his, he was pretty confident in taking on the 'Demon of _Shinobi_' or whatever. Not because the guy's past his prime." Tayuya exhaled. "Oh, Emperor, that guy's not past his prime. No, that technique's just fucking insane. But even then Orochimaru had us do a sealing wall to prevent interference from Anbu or some shit like that. The more people, the more _chakra_ and the more risky it becomes to the user. My head count places there being four people brought back."

"And four people puts it past Mizuki's capacities?" Sasuke questioned shortly.

Kōju frowned. "It makes sense." She exhaled faintly. "Well, if we're thinking purely in terms of power needed. Come to think of it, could Orochimaru handle four people?"

"Probably, but he'd be at his max both in terms of concentration and _chakra_ usage. One attack on the user and the technique fails." Tayuya scowled. "Again, I can't see him being that fucking stupid."

"Flame Style: Fire of the Grand Serpent." The blonde girl recited the technique blandly. Her fingers laced together.

Naruto swallowed tightly, staring at the fireball approaching his body.

Sasuke's eyes widened. "Damn. Tayuya, quick, counter with a water release!"

Tayuya shrugged helplessly. "Sorry. I do _genjutsu_."

Kōju clapped her hands together rapidly. She sighed. "Water Style: Delicate Shield Art!" She exhaled, her breath mixed with water mist.

A thin sheet of water blasted downward. The waters met with the fire; heat and steam rose from the surface of the water.

A long gout of steam, thin and narrow, rushed toward Naruto's body.

Naruto ducked downward. "What the hell?!" he demanded. His gaze turned to Kōju for a single instant. "Next time, please don't do something that puts me in more danger!"

Kōju shrugged helplessly. "You're alive, aren't you?" she replied, her expression nervous.

Naruto sighed heavily. "I guess it's fine," he remarked reluctantly. He returned his attentions to the battlefield. Naruto's hand rose. "Whirling Bullet!" He rushed forward. His arm twisted into the side of the zombie.

The bullet tore through the side of the blonde _shinobi. _She let out a brief, almost surprised grunt. Her eyes narrowed. Blood poured downward. The body regenerated. The wound sealed over in an instant, green light shrouding the wound. "You really don't know how to advance cautiously, do you?" she questioned, her eyes distant. "In anticipation of danger coming to Mizuki-_sama_, I prepared various traps with the purpose of ending the life of such ambushers. Ninja Technique: Bloody Needle." A wire lashed downward.

Naruto grasped his shoulder. Blood rushed down from the newly-opened wound. "…Eh?" Naruto turned. He ran quickly. _I don't understand, but—anyway, it's important to understand how to win! I can't attack so recklessly until I know how to win.  
_

"That idiot." Sasuke scowled. "All right, everyone. We're going in. For now we target the zombies and let Naruto get a shot in on Mizuki. For an idiot like him, it's the best role."

"Not a bad plan." Tayuya's lips curled upward. "Okay. Let's go."

Kōju shouted loudly, a smile crossing her lips. "Yes! Let's beat down the zombies!"

Tayuya quietly rolled her eyes. She leapt into the branches, her eyes attentive and careful.

Kōju ran forward rapidly, blade in hand as she approached one of the zombies.

Sasuke grasped the blade.

Running separately, the trio entered the darkness of the forest.

**Kitai**

A twig cracked in the depths of the bushes. A faint ray of moonlight pierced through the sky and struck the ground between the trees and Kōju.

Kōju's eyes narrowed. She touched the hilt of her sword.

The figure stepped out of the shadows. Massive and silent, his round face conveyed not even a hint of emotion.

Kōju swallowed.

The green-glowing eyes shimmered. "You a sword saint?" the boy finally asked.

"Eh?" Kōju tensed. Her hands drew out the sword in a nearly reflexive movement. "I thought Edo Tensei didn't have free will."

"Varies."

The trees loomed in on the pair.

"Yes, I am," Kōju answered in a soft voice. "I mean, I fight with swords, and so that's—"

"Good." The zombie boy drew out a large sword.

The pair stood motionless, a bated breath between sword saints.

**Kitai**

The underbrush moved for a brief second. The sound of rustling attracted notice briefly. Moonlight, faint and without strength, dappled the branches.

Sasuke's hand drove into the ground. A scroll opened. Sasuke pulled out a long, black _kusari-gama_. Her eyes narrowed. "You're one of the Hidden Sound teammates. Why are you here?"

The zombie's sword drew outward.

"…Please…"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"Please kill me."

Sasuke's eyes widened. Her hand seized on the_ kusari-gama_.

Kenrai gritted his teeth. "I can't feel anything. No warmth, no cold. I'm already dead, so why can't he. Why can't he leave me to rot? It's a crime against the order of things."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Her hand briefly brushed along the seal on her neck. "Is that so?" Her eyes narrowed. "Don't worry. I've got every intention of fulfilling your wish. If I don't, how could I meet my family without feeling shame over allowing such a petty impediment?" She raised her arms.

Kenrai gulped down a breath of air.

The cold pressure of killing intent hovered in the air between the two.

**Kitai**

Whistling wind passed through the trees.

"Show yourself, you goddamn motherfucker." Tayuya's eyes narrowed. The ancient bone flute rose to Tayuya's lips. A piping melody began.

The figure stepped out of the shadows. The blonde _shinobi _approached.

Tayuya's eyes widened. "Hiya? Fucking hell." She let the flute fall still for a moment. "I wish I knew some sealing methods." She gritted her teeth. "Forgive me for my poor skill."

"Oh, please. Do not complain to me. In the afterlife, apologize to your teammates instead. Take a good look around you." The blonde _shinobi _smirked.

Tayuya glanced around her body. Her eyes widened. _Shit. _

Explosive tags hung around the treetop, glimmering silver ink shining in the light.

"Farewell." Hiya's hands clapped together.

A wave of explosions ripped through the trees.

Tayuya exhaled. She sat on the floor of the trees, motionless. _Lucky that I saw that thread in the trees. If I hadn't I might really have walked into that, instead of using the Substitution Technique first. _She glanced upward. _That said, I've really got my work cut out for me. Illusions or no illusions, I'm worse at this whole trap thing than that piece of shit. And she's comin' after me. _She frowned. _What the hell is my next move?_

The forest floor grew silent, a prelude to thought.

**A/N: Took longer than expected, but updates will continue, hopefully at a less glacial pace than they have been recently. Still getting back into the whole regular writing thing. More to come soon!**


	6. Pillar of Hope Part VI

**Chronological Timing: Between Valley of the End and the ending of Part I.  
Main Character: Kitai (spirit of a tree).**

Pale moonlight passed through the branches of the trees. A faint cast of blue touched the trees of the forest, leaving behind the mark of some promise long-kept.

The white sword glowed. Its length trembled slightly as Kōju gripped it. Kōju looked upward. Her green eyes narrowed. "Since you're here. May I take it that you are willing to die?" The tantō glimmered, light pouring downward and dappling the grass in a harsh white light.

The large boy's eyes widened. "Shouldn't you be?" He stepped forward. His grip tightened on a large sword by his side. He drew out the sword. The edge of the blade slashed through several of the tree branches, letting them fall to the ground.

"Before we begin. I apologize for my peculiar sense of etiquette. May I ask your name?" Kōju smiled. "I probably shouldn't have this curiosity."

"It's a weakness," the large boy agreed. His eyes narrowed. "Daimaru." He swung the sword downward, holding it level with the rest of his muscular body.

A cold wind swept across the battlefield.

"Hoh. You really used a technique like that, only here?" Kōju raised an eyebrow. "How do you make killing intent come out so suddenly anyhow? It's like you shifted in an instant, or I was fighting a different person, or something like that."

Daimaru's face remained stolid.

"I'm beginning to react to that glorious killing intent of yours." Kōju grinned as she lifted her sword. "I really shouldn't kill people, but I do. My desires do not change. My heart remains. I must kill but I cannot be cruel. Some nonsense like that."

Daimaru rushed forward. His arms drew up the massive sword.

Kōju grinned broader. The tantō blocked the sword. The lips curled upward. Froth poured over the edge of the lips.

Daimaru's eyes widened.

The swords trembled in the air, shaking as they raced forward once again.

"You're starting to ignite me." Kōju lunged forward. Kōju's sword swung over Daimaru's head.

Flakes of Daimaru's wiry black hair fell downward.

A whisper of cold wind rushed down Kōju's back. Kōju ducked backward, her hair prickling and sweat running down her neck.

The massive sword swept around in an incredibly rapid path. A piece of fabric fell to the ground.

Kōju's eyes widened. _If I'd misjudged that even a second, or failed to feel that feeling in my heart, I'd be dead right now. _

_My sword sure ain't like yours. A sword as short as that, though it might be the length of your forearm, is still going to be a small sword. In proportion with my body, I got a big sword.  
_

The sword shot upward rapidly. "Hah." Kōju's lips curled upward. "Heh! Heh!" She grinned broadly, her hand spinning around. She let the sword fly a brief distance. Rushing forward in a flash of light, she stabbed into Daimaru's shoulder.

White blood poured downward. Daimaru looked over his shoulder. He frowned. The wound regenerated. "I cannot be killed," Daimaru remarked. "A weakness for a swordsman."

"Can't die, huh?" Kōju grinned broadly. "I certainly find this amusing. An immortal foe! Come, let's go another round. Seems interesting!"

The bodies rushed together. The swords crashed together rapidly. A series of slashes drove together.

"Maybe you can't die, but I'm willing to bet that I can still beat you." Kōju lunged forward, a mad laugh echoing from her lips.

Daimaru stepped backward. His eyes darkened with disappointment.

Kōju frowned. _What's wrong with this guy's expression?_

Daimaru sighed heavily. His arms rose. The sword glimmered in Daimaru's hands. "You lack it."

The swords crashed together.

Kōju's lips overflowed with froth. Her eyes widened. "Lack it? I'm having so much fun right now! What on earth are you talking about; I lack it?"

Daimaru fell silent. Without emotion, he drove forward.

"Your heart is starting to give in to fear." Kōju grinned. "Someone like you can't reach me."

The swords drove together again. The series of clashes flashed through the air.

"That's where you're wrong." Daimaru stepped forward, his heavy feet crossing the battlefield.

"Flash Technique!" Kōju rushed backward. She spun in a circle rapidly, her body circling the edge of the clearing. The white sword flashed through the air.

Daimaru's eyes widened.

The hamstrings fell on the ground.

"I win." Kōju grinned. She lowered her hand. "I got you."

The white _chakra _poured downward. Kōju's sword slid into the sheath. "Okay, let's go find the others." The enormous blade pierced through Kōju's arm. Kōju spun around, her eyes wide with shock. She fell to one knee, then collapsed as the blood flow increased.

"That there is what I'm talking about." Daimaru sheathed the sword. His eyes narrowed. "Why do you think fighting has to be filled with joy, or lack thereof? Sword saints fight without either. You are weak because you think there is such a motivation."

Kōju lay motionless on the floor. The moonlight entered her eyes. She remained motionless, her green eyes reflecting the moon. _It's so quiet, now, _she thought, her heart pounding lightly.

The silence pressed downward on the battlefield.

_I really can't feel a single thing. But it's so quiet. It feels like I've come to rest at the bottom of the ocean. Nothing's moving. _Kōju's hand tightened on the sword. Blood slipped down the blade. Her hand trembled. _That's it. The feeling is really quite different from anything before it. It's truly something different._

Daimaru's eyes narrowed. His hand swung around.

The swords drove together.

_That's right. He's a swordsman too. _Kōju's eyebrows furrowed. _No, a sword saint. He somehow realized this same thing. When he can regenerate there's no sense of fear in him. But there's also not this silent feeling._

Blades of grass blew in the wind.

_Just now, it felt like time stopped. As though I were fighting in a still world. _Kōju's eyes narrowed.

Daimaru raised the sword.

The pair stood motionless.

_The thing about fighting with swords is, just one strike can be fatal. Rather than other weapons, a sword is perfectly designed to kill. And sword saints won't make mistakes on the battlefield._

The pair's swords rose.

_This strike is going to be our last. _Kōju ran forward.

Daimaru ran forward rapidly.

The pair's swords flashed through the air one final time.

A silence fell over the battleground.

"You missed." Daimaru glanced over his shoulder.

"You really think so?" Kōju smiled broadly. "I blocked your shot. The difference between you and me is just this. Maneuvering our swords is much different." She reversed the tantō, plunging it into Daimaru's neck.

Daimaru collapsed in the earth.

Kōju paused. Her eyebrows furrowed. "So one moment in a person's life can really change their existence that greatly?" she mused, her hand briefly touching her chin. "That's a very strange thing. But I owe you now, for all the good you've done."


	7. Pillar of Hope Part VII

**Chronological Timing: Between Valley of the End and the ending of Part I.  
Main Character: Kitai (spirit of a tree).**

The dark trees loomed over the forest. A darkness covered the earth and the ground, pressing down heavily on the spirits of the two combatants.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

Kenrai screamed. Running forward, he slashed toward Sasuke's waist.

"Hm." _To start out with, a nerve lock attack should do. _Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Her foot lowered, ducking downward in an instant. She spun around, her hands crackling with lightning.

Kenrai's eyes widened.

Sasuke's hand drove into Kenrai's face. "Sorry, but I'm not a believer in ghosts." Sasuke's hand fell to her side.

Kenrai's body collapsed to the ground.

"I'll leave you to this death of yours."

Kenrai rose. He stabbed forward, his arm crackling with the lightning. The sword slashed upward. Roughly, the edge tore across Sasuke's cheek. "Though I'd like to die, that little won't cut it."

Sasuke's eyes widened. She touched the mark on her cheek. Blood poured from the surface. _Damn it._

Light poured downward.

"How the hell are you still alive?" Sasuke questioned, wiping the blood along the tip of her finger.

"It is a mystic ability." Kenrai swallowed. "I will continue to regenerate as many times as necessary."

"In other words, it's that ancient power of Edo Tensei." Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "There's just one thing that bothers me here."

Dust kicked up across the ground.

Sasuke vanished. White light wrapped around her body as she disappeared into the undergrowth.

Kenrai's eyes widened.

Sasuke reached upward. She wiped the bloodied finger along the edge of her neck. The blood vanished into the seal, as though sucked in by some great void. Black tattoos crossed Sasuke's skin. Black lightning crackled around Sasuke's hand. Sasuke rose to her feet. For several moments she remained motionless in the brush. "See, if Mizuki did have that kind of power, he should have used it before this. Forget now. It would have been back when he first went after the scroll."

"It's that sword," Kenrai admitted reluctantly, his expression growing more serious.

Sasuke tilted her head to one side. "Beg pardon?"

"You know the one. The sword of the Uchiha, formerly stored behind a wall." Kenrai's eyebrows furrowed. "You're using that cursed seal of yours?"

Sasuke's face darkened, a storm descending over her heart. She stared quietly at Kenrai. The tattoos darkened. "We're _shinobi_. If you've got the time to yammer on about right and wrong, you may want to try to start winning." Her hand rose at her side. Lightning sparked off the edges of the fingers. Sasuke ran forward rapidly.

Kenrai's eyes widened. _I see. So this is the famous Chidori. I don't need to worry about dodging as long as I regenerate. Even if I wanted to stand still, I don't really have the choice of dodging it. _His fist rose. His eyebrows furrowed. _Eh? What's this form of attack? I shouldn't be using_— His fist, clad in red sandstone, slammed into Sasuke's body._  
_

Sasuke gritted her teeth. "Got it." Her hand twisted around, driving into the side. The lightning coursed over Kenrai's body. "If I got it right this time, that's a pretty low-ranking attack, huh? B-ranked or C-ranked technique."

Kenrai nodded briefly. "Well, it's not going to be so easy for you to pull out a copy."

Sasuke grinned. "Think again." Her crimson eyes narrowed. "You think I'd start this kind of fight without using the _Sanzengan_? Realistically, that's a genuinely stupid thing to do." _Having said that I do need to reason out some way out of this situation. That technique may not be high-ranking, but it's very similar to that Whirling Bullet. No hand gestures. So me copying it is going to be tough. __In order to make that happen, I need to create the right conditions for him to use that technique again. On top of that, I'm still tired out. If I think this over rationally, I can't waste time like that. Rather than that, I ought to aim for destroying his head or heart. So. _Sasuke spread her feet apart, her expression serious. _No, even then, I don't know any sealing techniques. I have to hope this works the way I think it does._

Kenrai's eyebrows furrowed. "Are you really taking this seriously?"

Two black Chidori built on Sasuke's arms. "Course," Sasuke replied shortly. "Do you really think I'd use up my power on a 'maybe'? I'm here to win."

Kenrai's eyebrows furrowed. _Being that as it may, she'll probably win. Wait. No, there's one scenario where she can still lose. _He glanced downward at the sword in his hand.

Without another word, Sasuke rushed forward. Her arms drove toward Kenrai's body.

Kenrai's sword rose to block both of the arms. He scowled. _A stolen _chakra _channeling tool. If it's a straight competition of strength, of course she can't bypass this power.  
_

The black lightning rushed down Kenrai's arms from the hilt of the sword. Momentary burns healed in a flush of green.

Sasuke's eyes widened. "God damn it!" Her hands tightened. "Why?! Why am I not strong enough!? Even now!" Sasuke's hand crackled. Her face grew dark as she stared at her burnt hands. "Even now, I'm still not strong enough! Four times a day! Four Chidori. How the hell am I still not strong enough to reach you?! Why can't I reach you two?" Her mind, briefly, darkened. "How am I supposed to answer this suffering?" The air glowed. Lightning danced across the body. Sasuke screamed. The air glowed around the body. Thunder echoed through the space. The lightning crackled brighter.

Kenrai's eyes widened. _This is_ _something else. Far from being a _shinobi _technique, it's grown to become something different._

The color of the lightning changed. Multicolored energy flickered across Sasuke's body. Sasuke gritted her teeth. "Whatever the hell happens, I won't regret this. I will pass you both. Naruto. Itachi. I will become a god of execution, and decide the fate of this death." Her hand drew backward.

Kenrai's eyes widened.

Sasuke's hand ripped through the side of Kenrai's body, slashing through the sword and ripping through the heart. Blood poured downward.

"Huh?" Kenrai looked downward, her eyes wide. "What?" He stumbled backward. _That attack completely bypassed my sword. That can only be a combination_—_a bloodline limit combining two elements could do it, certainly, but the Sanzengan doesn't let a user copy bloodline limit abilities. This is something else entirely. _He fell to the ground, blood bubbling over his lips. _Will she spare a word for me?_

Sasuke stared at her hand. Slowly, the color of the lightning returned to a pure blue color. "What?" she questioned aloud, her face shocked. "What is this?" Exhausted, she slumped over, her body collapsing in weakness.

_This is the new era of _shinobi? Kenrai's face darkened. _A world of shadows and darkness, constantly blocking forward passage. Truly, we live in an era of villains._


	8. Pillar of Hope Part VIII

**Chronological Timing: Between Valley of the End and the ending of Part I.  
Main Character: Kitai (spirit of a tree).**

The black sky grew darker. Heavy storm clouds gathered over the trees.

_Knowing Tayuya, she's probably already thought out several scenarios of how to win against me. _Hiya's eyes narrowed. _Don't look down on me so much, you know? I'm not the same weakling that lost to you. On top of that, in trap-making I'm number one. For people who aren't classically strong, we have different paths to power!_

Tayuya rested in the darkness. Her eyebrows furrowed. With one arm, she wrapped a bandage around her arm. _Damn Tsunade, freezing up my curse seal like that. If I had that, I'd have a couple sure routes to victory. I could probably heal most of the damage pretty easily. As it is, I have to fucking reason this out. Let's see. _She squatted in the darkness for several more seconds. Her brown eyes narrowed. _But even then, there's no sure route to success. If I'm thinking this through level-headedly, the best bet is to sit and wait her out. Sooner or later she's gotta go to ground. _A fierce grin crossed Tayuya's face. _But what the hell? My forte sure as hell ain't sittin' around waiting to get grey hairs. _She reached upward, grasping the flute. _If I think of this in terms of shogi, I got one piece, myself. First of all, let's test out these traps in a safer way. _Her hand slammed into the ground. _This'll reveal my position, but it's a damn acceptable risk._

_What the hell?! _Hiya's eyes widened. She stared at the ground's puffs of smoke in shock. _What the hell is going on? Even Tayuya's not this reckless. She'd never reveal her position in a situation like this. _Her eyes narrowed. _But, regardless, it's without a doubt an opportunity. For the time being I shouldn't move. It's possible she's doing this to draw me out. Instead, I'll rely on the automatic summons. _She studied the ground. _Those giants are Tayuya's trump card. Is she betting everything on a single battle?_

The giants lumbered forward, white snakes of energy escaping their mouths.

Hiya's eyes narrowed. _For Mizuki_-sama.

Tayuya's eyes widened. _What the hell?_

The scrolls on the ground ignited. Puffs of smoke rushed outward from the surface of the scrolls. Hordes of crimson ants rushed out of the darkness of the smoke. Seizing on the giants, they bit into pale flesh.

_In terms of pure power, my giants shouldn't be losing to ordinary opponents. _Tayuya's eyes narrowed. She played the flute more quickly, echoing notes resonating from the flute.

The giants shifted their positions, lumbering as the ants climbed up their bodies.

_Strange. The giants were quicker than this before. Is this Tayuya's way of giving up? No. She's not the type to do that. _Hiya sighed. _Then, it's because up till now they haven't been under attack. This should be easy. Once the giants are out, I can pursue her myself._

The giants puffed into smoke. The ants disappeared in an instant, as well, vanishing back into the darkness from which they'd arisen.

Tayuya's eyes narrowed. She glanced upward, studying the trunk of the tree briefly.

"I'm coming for you. As an immortal, there should be no problems at all." Hiya leapt down from the tree. The sound of the leg snapping echoed through the darkness. Green light surrounded the leg as it reset and healed in an instant.

Tayuya's eyes narrowed. She looked upward, her expression calm. "Didn't expect you to come for me so soon. As an expert trapper, shouldn't you be relying on those traps?"

"As a trapper, there are limitations to what I can set up." Calmly, Hiya approached, her expression distant.

"Is that really okay? I might have set a trap for you of my own." Tayuya smirked. Her eyes narrowed.

"That flute? I expected you to rely on it." Hiya's eyes narrowed. She spread her arms wide for a brief moment before clapping her hands together.

Tayuya's eyes widened.

One of the nearby trees fractured.

Tayuya leapt backward. Her eyes widened.

"You see now, don't you? My sole target is that flute. Well, killing you would be fine too, I think." Hiya smiled. "This entire forest would be too much even for me. So of course, I targeted the area around myself."

"You shouldn't talk so flippantly about this flute." Tayuya's eyes narrowed. "For someone like me, for whom it's my only treasure, I won't loose my hand so easily. For my will and heart, I will beat you."

Hiya sighed. "Old story. Do you remember fighting me before?" She spread her arms wide. "Now my time has come to return the favor." She tugged on the wire at her side rapidly.

Tayuya's eyes widened. Wires raced up around the clearing, rushing toward Tayuya's body. "SHIT!" Tayuya's voice rose to a shrill note as she stared at her body. "This is—" Barbed wire tightened around her body.

"Goodbye." Hiya laughed loudly. Her hand covered her mouth as she looked at the scene. "For Mizuki-_sama_ I've done this. But, even if he hadn't asked, since it's you, I couldn't have refused the chance to prove once and for all which of us is smarter!" She laughed loudly as the wires tightened.

The body split apart. Blood rushed over Hiya's body.

Hiya's laughing grew louder. She leaned against the nearby tree to steady herself. "Hah. I really did catch you off-guard, didn't I? Looks like this battle has ended!" She laughed louder and louder, peals of joy echoing through the space.

Blood rushed behind Hiya, flowing into the form of a long-haired woman. "I caught you." Tayuya's voice grew amused as she glanced over her shoulder at Hiya. "Opera One, Performance of the Bloodstained Murder."

Hiya's eyes widened.

The sky turned blood-red. Blood trickled through the trees.

"If I'd had a goddamn choice I'd prefer to have used my fucking flute to kill you. But you don't have that kind of limitation, regrettably." Tayuya glanced over her shoulder. "See, basically, _genjutsu _is most useful when your opponent doesn't know about it. Alternatively, if you're a master like Itachi-_san _or Shisui-_san_, you can screw around with a fighter's perceptions using the standard method of shootin' em in the face with it. But someone who knows about a _genjutsu _can shut it down for regular folks like little ol' me." She smirked. "So, how do you fuck someone over? You use an unseen method, like my voice. I just modulated the voice right and you were in dreamland, thinkin' about getting down and dirty to the thought of my corpse."

Hiya gritted her teeth. "Tayuya-_san_, please don't kill me."

"You feel like being polite now? Dumbass! You threatened my precious flute, and shit on my team a little with your words." Tayuya's eyes narrowed. "But lucky for you, I can't just make you die. You can't die. As you said, you're an immortal." She gestured to the trees. Barbed wire gathered around Tayuya's fingers. "I'm bringin' you back to Hidden Leaf."

"Why?" Hiya demanded shortly.

"Ain't it obvious? If there is some way to kill you, and by extension Mizuki, we'll find it." Tayuya grinned. "And I don't have any obligation to make it less painful, or let you move."

"What about your team? What happens if they fail?"

Tayuya frowned briefly. She looked into the moonlit darkness. "Much as this is probably going to sound weird from me. They're not going to fail, and I trust that they won't. They. These guys. They have the potential to do good as a new team. It's not the same as the Sound Five, but I think I could get to liking it here. Cute guy and smart guy, one pure M devoted girl, and competence? Sure, sign me right the fuck up."

Hiya scowled. She lay motionless.

"Plus, Tsunade's coming," Tayuya added casually. Hoisting Hiya over one shoulder, she hurried back toward the gate of Hidden Leaf.


	9. Pillar of Hope Part IX

**Chronological Timing: Between Valley of the End and the ending of Part I.  
Main Character: Kitai (spirit of a tree).**

The forest creaked. Darkness of green and tenebrous fibers stretched through the inky blackness of the forest.

Naruto squatted down. Studying the sitting figure, he grinned. _Okay. Just like Tayuya said, he's not going anywhere. I can win this. _He drew out a _kunai_. Adjusting the angle of his arm, he crept closer, his eyes narrowed. The _kunai _stabbed rapidly toward the figure.

Mizuki, without turning, grasped Naruto's arm tightly. The _kunai _trembled in the air, hovering over Mizuki's back. "Do you really think me so ill-prepared, boy?" Mizuki replied with a distant expression on his face.

Naruto's eyes widened. _This strength. I don't remember Mizuki being this strong before. _

Mizuki's fingers tightened.

Naruto's arm popped. Bone splintered under the force of the impact. "Fucking hell." Naruto reached upward, wiping away the sweat. He closed his eyes.

A log appeared where Naruto had been standing.

Mizuki rose to his feet. He began, methodically, to search the forest.

Naruto gritted his teeth against the pain. "Genkuro. I need your help."

The prison dripped with water. The fox had receded into the furthest darkness of the cage, so that only its yellow eyes shone like twin lamps in the darkness. The lamps guttered, a brief darkness covering their light.

"Genkuro?!" Naruto shouted

"Sorry. Yer on yer own, kid." Genkuro's voice trembled.

Naruto's eyes widened. He reached downward, grasping a _kunai_. "You. What?"

"Yer fightin' a _shinigami_. Don't fuckin' confuse me wit' my limits. You get it, right? We got born and commanded by those beasts." Genkuro turned away. "Sorry. I ain't gonna help you against a _shinigami_."

"Come on! Damn it!" Naruto struck his leg. "You can't, you can't just abandon me like this!"

"My power wasn't yours to begin with. So you shouldn't start callin' on it every time you feel like it. You have to recognize your limitations."

Naruto's eyes opened.

The prison faded.

Naruto closed his eyes. He gritted his teeth. _If I'm truly to beat this guy I have no time! _He reached downward. Seizing on a sizable stick, he wrapped the stick around his broken arm with gauze. He recalled, in distant times, Kōju doing this for him after a different injury. He placed his fingers together rapidly. _Before I could barely beat him with just me. If I can create two clones, one as a distraction and one to beat him down.  
_

Mizuki turned.

Naruto's eyes widened. _Did he hear me? No. He must just be going in order._

Mizuki walked forward, his sandals striking the ground. He stared directly at Naruto. A smirk crossed his face. "I've found you, boy."

Naruto gritted his teeth. He fell backward, his legs wobbling. _This is the first time I've ever felt tired. _He swallowed tightly. He lowered one hand. _It's insane.  
_

The village's light faded slowly from the sky, gathering into the green sword once more.

"A long time ago, you defended a tree without apparent reason." Mizuki remarked with his blade extended towards Naruto's throat. He pressed the blade slightly closer.

Naruto said nothing. His blue eyes widened as he looked at Mizuki. He swallowed, hard. _I have to buy time for an ambush. Those guys should be able to make it to me soon. If we can take him by surprise, we should be able to win. _He nodded after a long moment. "I did."

"That tree was planted near the time of the Hidden Leaf's defeat. That single tree marked the Hidden Leaf's defeat. I recall you saying it distinctly, although at that time it was." Mizuki's voice trailed off for a moment. "Well, only a child playing a prank on that tree. You blocked his hand and told him something I couldn't hear. What was it?" Mizuki asked curiously. He placed his other hand on the sword once more. His eyes focused on Naruto's face, eliminating a reaction once more. His half-lidded eyes drooped once again, as if tired or weary in the long run.

"I told him about the real significance of the tree." Naruto knelt, his eyes passive as he looked down at the earth. The sword lay against his neck, not piercing, but indenting, the skin. "It represents the village's resilience. No matter how often we are beaten we get back up again."

"Is that so?" Mizuki snarled, hand tightening to white knuckles on the sword. "I'll have to break it, then, before I attack Tsunade-_hime_. But before I can do any of that." He swung around the crooked, dark blade, aiming for Naruto's throat. "I have to kill you. I will take your life to avenge my parents, and then I will use you to my benefit."

Naruto gritted his teeth. There was no time. "Now—" He laughed in surprise.

The two clones jumped out of the brush, both of them wielding Whirling Bullets on each hand.

"Of course, even I recognize when to jump in." Naruto's smile faded in an instant.

Mizuki's long sword spun around, cutting both clones in half in a pair of sweeps. He approached, his white hair pale in the moonlight. A mad contortion seized his face. He looked a delirious murderer, caught in anticipation.

Naruto held up his hand defensively. A small ball of wind gathered on his hand.

"Defiant to the last, I see. No matter!"

A small, firm hand caught Mizuki's wrist in mid-swing. Slim-fingered, the hand nonetheless tightened further. The caramel skin flickered as the arm tightened once more.

Mizuki snarled, his eyes narrowing. He stared at the slip of a girl who had caught the blade.

"I won't… allow you… to hurt Naruto-_san_." The small, thin voice of the girl resisted firmly Mizuki's projected dread. Her brown hair cascaded down her back, her green eyes entirely downcast and shy.

Mizuki applied more pressure to the thrust. No movement from the arm responded to the muscle. The girl's grip was too strong.

"I won't… let you… do it…" the girl repeated, her voice shy with every word. She pushed the sword back as she looked down, the green energy spreading around her but never touching her. "I… refuse…"

Mizuki growled. "Tch!" he spat. His hand rose in the air. "If that won't do, I'll take your life as well!"

The girl shook her head. She focused her heart for a moment. Faint brown energy glistened off her body.

Mizuki extended his hand.

Blood poured downward. Mizuki's eyes widened.

The girl tore away the arm she held. Her grip shattered the bones instantly.

Naruto gasped. His eyes widened.

Mizuki gasped in shock. He screamed, staring at the wound.

"Stay away from our village…" the girl shouted. Her fist slammed into the side of Mizuki's face.

Mizuki flew through the air. His body trailed white blood as he hurtled through the air.

Naruto's body shook. "That girl." He looked upward, his eyes widening.

The slight girl landed quickly. She picked up Naruto and leapt away from the battle. Her arms tightened but remained gentle as she landed on one of the nearby roofs once more. The legs, like coiled ropes, glistened on the ground, the earth falling still once more in an instant.

Naruto growled. "Hey!" Naruto shouted, his expression irritated. "What's wrong with…?"

The slight girl sighed. "I... am sorry, Naruto-_san_…" She rested the boy's head gently on the faintly slanted roof. "I… will not… hurt you…" She sat down beside Naruto. "Nor… will I let you… come to harm…" She paused after a moment. "Not… by a man… Like him."

"You talk funny," Naruto complained, looking steadily up at the girl.

"I… apologize…" The girl rested beside Naruto. Her face blushed furiously, the caramel color deepening toward a deep, even brown once more.

"What's your name?" Naruto asked after a while as the girl held him down patiently. He fell silent once more, his eyes weary as he looked downwards again wearily and coldly. He wanted to go back and fight. He pushed upward, his eyes irritated.

The girl pushed down heavier.

Suddenly, Naruto felt a massive pressure on his chest once more. He exhaled forcefully, his eyes wide.

"Stay down." The girl released her grip, her eyes regretful after a moment.

Naruto's eyes widened as he looked up at the girl. He nodded very slowly after several moments had passed.

"I am… Kitai-_san_…" The girl paused. She stretched out on the roof, her eyes quiet, before sitting upright once more. Her arms glistened slightly in the light.

Naruto nodded. "That's fair. Mine's—Wait, you already know that. How do you know my name?" He frowned as he regarded the woman sitting across from him once more.

"I've known you… a while…" The girl hesitated. "Naruto-_san_…" She touched Naruto's cheek.

Naruto blinked. He swallowed after a moment. _Another one…_

"I just wanted to know… you used to go…" Kitai stammered briefly, gulped, and then went on. "You used… to go to a tree… in the… old… place of… The… academy…" She pointed towards the place she meant. "But then… about a week ago… you…" She pressed her fingers together. "You… stopped… going… Did the tree… offend you… somehow? If it… offended you… can it remedy that offense?" she got out in a burst, her lips rushing like a breeze from a tree.

Naruto blinked. He paused. "Tree?" He thought about the question a moment. "Tree…" His finger tapped against his chin as he considered the matter at hand once more in an instant.

The girl waited patiently for Naruto's answer, a small tear dripping down her cheek. Her hand pressed against the side of the roof tiling, her skin pushing inward.

Naruto's eyes widened after a minute or two. "CRAP!" he shouted expressively. His eyes widened, studying the figure before him once more.

The girl looked unemotionally back at Naruto, her shyness overcome by confusion. The blush faded from her cheeks.

Naruto drew in a breath. "I am so, so sorry about that tree!" he continued in an apologetic voice. He glanced down again. "Do you work for the local gardeners or something?"

The girl blinked. A warm flush entered her cheeks. She did not speak for some moments once more. She did not speak, her voice remaining silent again.

"See, I've been so busy over the last few weeks; I forgot to take care of that whole problem." Naruto ignored the issue of the gardening, assuming that Kitai was without continuing on the topic.

"Do you… see the tree… as a problem?" the girl managed. Another tear dripped down from her eye once more. She swept away the tear from her cheek, letting the salt-water fall to the ground.

"No, I love taking care of it." Naruto grinned. "I just have been so busy with missions that…" He paused. "Well, it's been a while since that time. Anyway, I'll arrange for it to be taken care of while I'm gone in future." He bowed his head towards Kitai. "Thanks for reminding me. I knew I was forgetting something, but it was kind of vague." He rubbed the back of his blond head once more. "Well, it looks that it didn't die, after all. I'm very thankful."

Kitai's face flushed bright, bright red. A smile crossed her face of incomparable beauty. "Thank you, Naruto-_san_!" she declared without embarrassment or hesitance, the smile broad and kind. She kissed Naruto across the lips.

Naruto blinked, stunned. He fell silent, looking down at the battlefield once more after a moment or two.

Kitai's breath smelled of pine. The next instant without hesitation she rushed away over the rooftops, twining from area to area, her lithe body twining around the pieces of roofing. _Naruto-_san _still cares about me…_ Landing by the young tree, she molded back into its confines. The tree waved about in the breeze, the branches bending and shifting in the wind. The tree's leaves brightened, turning toward a healthy, even emerald green.


	10. Pillar of Hope Part X

**Chronological Timing: Between Valley of the End and the ending of Part I.  
Main Character: Kitai (spirit of a tree).**

The brambled path cut in densely against the stark and bright trees. A heavenly light descended from the moon, casting the path ahead in an incongruous peace that did not match the surroundings. Grasping the sword tightly, Mizuki stared up into the trees with a look of dread. He cast a glance behind him, his heart pounding in his chest. "I'm still not strong enough," he muttered. "And they're still coming. If only I had more time—"

The moonlight shone down on the trees. In the distance one of the trees tumbled over the path, blocking passage with deep roots and well-made chaos.

Mizuki's eyes widened. He stared up at the tumbled tree, his expression shocked. _Tsunade? No, she would never favor my escape. How could something like that happen?_

"Up here!" a cheery voice remarked. A smile crossed the face of the woman as she waved down at Mizuki. A white cloak embroidered with stylized blue hurricane waves flapped in the wind.

"Who're you?" Mizuki frowned. He blinked in shock. "Wait a moment. You're of the Nara family, aren't you? Yes, I'm certain of it!" His hand tightened on the sword. "When did you arrive?"

"Heh. You're asking a lot of questions for someone who's going to die without my help, aren't you?" the woman asked, her expression getting testy.

Mizuki frowned. "I take your point. But at the least I'm going to need to know who you work for before I sign up willy-nilly. Certainly you must understand that much."

"Fair point." The woman tapped her chin. "I'm with Hakubo[i]. As you guessed, I used to be with the Leaf, but it seems that the time for that passed a while ago."

"Never heard of them." Mizuki did not attempt to disguise his distaste; his voice reeked of anger and supercilious pride.

"Most people haven't. Don't worry. By the time we're finished, everyone's going to know our name." The Nara woman grinned. "You in, or should I redirect our pursuers to where you've currently hidden yourself?"

"As I guess you understood when you proposed this idea to me, I have very little choice in the matter." Mizuki sighed heavily. "I need a little time to recuperate. For that reason, I'm in your care."

The Nara woman grinned. "Great. I appreciate your understanding, old man." Her eyebrows furrowed. "Let's hurry away, then. You need that arm stitched up, don't you?"

The pair hurried away into the darkness, between the trees of the forest.

**Kitai**

Deep, overwhelming black covered the ground. A series of broken pieces lay on the ground.

Nōtō studied the tumbled tree. His eyebrows furrowed. "Tsunade-_san_, why are we stopping here? The longer we permit that man to run, the more strength he will gain. Rather than that, we should prevent him from advancing here."

"I know." Tsunade cleared her throat. Her expression grew stern and serious. "I'd honestly prefer to follow the path you suggest. Overall, I agree with you." Her eyes studied the tree briefly. "But this isn't something within Mizuki's power. Rather than being simply cut down, this tree's trunk has been compressed to a point where it snapped of its own accord. Who could have done this? In this world, almost no one has that power—to break a tree is easy. To do it in that way, on the other hand, is very dangerous."

Nōtō frowned.

"The action suggests a certain possibility. Namely, the possibility of the techniques of a certain famous warrior returning from the dead." Tsunade exhaled. "That assassin from Nara. If it is here she returns, then we'll need to be considerably more prepared before we can approach that disciple. On top of that, we've lost a number of our forces already. Targeting Mizuki so brashly isn't the path we should take here." She glanced toward Nōtō.

Nōtō's expression changed. His eyebrows drew together; his jaw tightened. His glasses shone white. "I fear that I cannot honor that request."

"It is an order. Or has Nōtō, heretical priest of the Temple of Fire, forgotten the duties of that sect to the governance of the Hokage?" Tsunade questioned sternly. Her fist clenched as she met Nōtō's eyes.

"I'll return. But in place of that, please permit me one night to search for Mizuki on my own."

"Do you not wish those _shinobi _to learn from you?" Tsunade asked.

Nōtō sighed. "To win against that guy, I'll need to use older methods. I don't want anyone to learn from such a monster as my own heretical path," he remarked with a dispassionate, light-tempered tone. "So bearing that in mind." He turned away from the path. A faint mist of shadows rose from his shoulders.

Briefly appearing nervous, Tsunade turned away. She walked toward the village again.

**Kitai**

The sparks of the furnace ignited. Flames rose across the surface of the metal. The sun set in the distance, a beautiful array of crimson and red shining across the sky. The clouds streaked with colors.

"I want a much bigger sword," Kōju stated. Her bottom lip trembled as she stared at the metal. "Something this big!" She spread apart her arms to indicate the desired length of the sword.

Kakashi's visible eye turned into a crescent. "Impossible, impossible. You'd just end up cutting off your own thumb."

Kōju glanced upward toward the smith, her eyebrows furrowing. "Surely you could make something like that?"

Asuma shrugged. "Hard to tell. Really, anything bigger than a _katana _is problematic. You need a very strong core, and it's hard to form that much metal accurately into anything."

Kōju's eyes dampened. She glanced toward her teammates for support.

"He's right, you know. Wielding a sword out of proportion with your own body is a pretty dumbass thing to do. Or a fucking chuuni." Tayuya leaned closer, her eyebrows furrowing. "Well, sure, you're about at that age, but I thought you had more sense than that dumbass Naruto."

Naruto growled. "What'd you say?" he demanded in a harsh voice.

"I'll say it again if you want me to. Dumbass! Ero-_nin_!" Tayuya barked, her voice as unhesitant as a bull dog.

Growling, Naruto and Tayuya pressed their heads together, their eyes blazing.

"Why won't someone listen to me?" Kōju whined loudly, her expression desperate. "I want a sword at least twice as big as I am!"

"That ain't gonna happen unless you learn weapon-smithy yourself, little lady." Asuma winked at Kakashi. He set the hammer to the metal again. Sparks flew from the blade.

Kakashi groaned. He placed one hand on his forehead. "Now she'll try it. Asuma-_san_, please have more discretion in the future."

Kōju stared with renewed intent at the fire.

Sasuke stood to one side. Her hand flexed and unflexed. She stared at the open palm. A single black bolt of lightning twisted across the surface. _Just now, these hands cast something that put Kakashi's Chidori to shame. What was it? How can I gain that power again? _She clenched her hand into a fist. _How can I beat Itachi?_

Tayuya wrangled Naruto into a headlock, a faint grin crossing her face. She pressed the knuckles into Naruto's forehead.

Sasuke glanced back at the group. A faint moment of downcast eyes followed the glance. She began to walk away.

Naruto's eyebrows creased. He held one hand to his mouth. "Hey, wait. Sasuke-_san_, where are you going?"

"I'm going to go train. Alone," Sasuke replied flatly. She turned away from the group, walking into the darkness beyond the forge's flames' light.

Slowly, the group fell silent, their amusement fading as the lack of another weakened it.

Kakashi smiled faintly. He rubbed the back of his head. "What on earth are you all doing?" he asked in a lighter tone.

Tayuya blinked. "Eh?"

"Take it from someone who's got experience." Kakashi pointed out toward the darkness. "Your place should be at each others' side."

Naruto ran after Sasuke, a grin filling his face.

"Idiot!" Sasuke growled, her expression enraged. "I don't want to train with you!"

"Well, you're gonna!" Playfully, Naruto shoved Sasuke's shoulder.

The pair descended into fighting on the ground, punches thrown left and right. Kōju leapt in a little too late, and yelped as she fell against the ground.

"Enjoy the bright times while they last," Kakashi continued. His smile faded as he glanced toward Asuma, the distant rays of red light striking his eye patch. "Because they can't last forever." He sighed heavily.

Asuma nodded, his face uncharacteristically grim as he worked the metal. "Obito, was it?"

Kakashi nodded briefly. He turned his gaze back to the setting sun. "But for now, those dreams can remain." He smiled, his face growing serious. "For now, dreams don't have consequences." He rested his arm against the wall. His hand briefly brushed over the eye patch.

The pair remained in silence, watching the day turn toward dusk.

* * *

**[i] Daybreak. Kanji taken are Haku; here referencing white or pure, and bo; here referencing plan or sacred tree.**

**A/N: Well, here we are at the end of the arc! I've been taking a few breaks, and hopefully this arc has gotten me back in the habit of writing frequently. **

**Ki herself will become more directly involved in later events, but again, much of it will take place in side arcs. In particular I wanted to provide more characterization for that purpose.**

**Meanwhile, we'll have closure on Mizuki very soon.**

**Thank everyone for reading. See you in the next arc!**


End file.
